Monday, March 22, 2010

Recently I've read a lot about coconut oil in the healthy eating side of the blogosphere. There seems to be a considerable amount of hype surrounding it, so I thought I'd do a little research of my own. Primarily because I don't believe much of what I hear. Good or bad, I've gotta check it out for myself!

This is what I found out.

Coconut

The Tree of Life

The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means "monkey face" because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resembles the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means "nut-bearing."

The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. On many islands coconut is a staple in the diet and provides the majority of the food eaten. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy. Among these cultures the coconut has a long and respected history.

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers.

Coconut In Traditional Medicine

People from many diverse cultures, languages, religions, and races scattered around the globe have revered the coconut as a valuable source of both food and medicine. Wherever the coconut palm grows the people have learned of its importance as a effective medicine. For thousands of years coconut products have held a respected and valuable place in local folk medicine.

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:

Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.

Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.

Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.

Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.

Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.

Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.

Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.

Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.

Provides protection form damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation form the sun.

Helps control dandruff.

Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.

Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.

Is completely non-toxic to humans.

See Research to read some of the published studies regarding the above mentioned uses of coconut products.

Coconut Oil

While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine.

Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is a unique and different from most all other fats and possesses many health giving properties. It is now gaining long overdue recognition as a nutritious health food.

Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." That's quite a remarkable statement. What makes coconut oil so good? What makes it different from all other oils, especially other saturated fats?

The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. There are two methods of classifying fatty acids. The first you are probably familiar with, is based on saturation. You have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Another system of classification is based on molecular size or length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid. Fatty acids consist of long chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).

The vast majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some 98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA.

The size of the fatty acid is extremely important. Why? Because our bodies respond to and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological effects of MCFA in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of LCFA more commonly found in our foods. The saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately medium-chain fatty acids. Both the saturated and unsaturated fat found in meat, milk, eggs, and plants (including most all vegetable oils) are composed of LCFA.

MCFA are very different from LCFA. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. MCFA help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is primarily due to the MCFA in coconut oil that makes it so special and so beneficial.

There are only a very few good dietary sources of MCFA. By far the best sources are from coconut and palm kernel oils.

You can look forward to many of my future cooking post containing coconut oil.

I've bottled/jarred it into a few separate container to keep around the house for ease of use. Personally I wouldn't use the same jar for cooking as I do for body care, just a thought.

this one's for cooking

and this one's for shmearing all over me

Oh and P.S. I can testify to the fact that it works as a sunscreen. I spent nearly all day outside this past Saturday, doing an outdoor project (the topic of a future blog), and cheering my boys on at their soccer game. I shmeared coconut oil all over me and NO sunburn! Both my husband and boys were sunburned. I know your thinking that's some kinda mom! LOL, Oh well they're tough, and they forgive me.

thanks and Yes absoluely! I actually disabled my comments for awhile, believe it or not. I decided I was spending way too much time and energy on my blogging, and more than that about caring so much about what everyone thought of my post. Also feeling the need to comment on everyone else's posts; feeling guilty if I didn't.

Can you relate? Anyway after awhile I missed the correspondence from all my "frequent followers" like you. I hope you've been well, and I've still been keeping up with you, still as entertaining as ever! Haha!

Let me know if and when you link up so I can check it out. Have a great dayLoveVanessa

Wow. Who knew coconut oil was so good for you? Thanks for sharing the info. I've heard olive oil works as a sunscreen but I burn so easily I'm scared to test it out! I bet coconut oil would smell way better :).

Wow!You DID do a lot of research!I am sold!I have hypothyroidism and take a Synthroid daily, also had Juvenile arthritis when I was 16, no longer suffer from that, but I am always improving my diet to help my thyroid and joint function I do have left ;)I saw this oil at Whole Foods and at Amazing Savings- a discount natural and organic food store here in Greenville. (I blogged about it last month- it's in my Clean Eating category- called Whole Foods vs. Amazing Savings). Maybe you have an Amazing Savings near you?I kept reading about the benefits of using the coco(Monkey face)nut oil, but never read all the facts in one place. Thank you!I will be looking for some of your recipes using it, too!

About Me

I'm a 39 year old wife and mother of 3 boys ages 18, 11, and 10. I love being home, and making my household comfortable, beautiful, simply a place my family wants to be. I love decorating, cooking, organizing, repurposing stuff, and bargain shopping; hence the name moms got many hats. I'm a growing Christian, and stay very busy juggling life with an active family. I love networking and getting as well as sharing new ideas. I hope you'll find my blog helpful!